


Filling in the Blanks

by unaspectre



Series: Beginning With A Blank Slate [3]
Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Angst, F/M, Flashbacks, Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-22
Updated: 2012-04-22
Packaged: 2017-11-04 03:40:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/389346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unaspectre/pseuds/unaspectre
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Daniel tries to regain his lost memories</p>
            </blockquote>





	Filling in the Blanks

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to Stonedtoad for betaing.

“They’ve made more Star Wars movies?” Daniel asked as they sat in the living room.

Jack laughed, “Yep, talk to Teal’c he’s got them all.”

“I’ve missed so much,” Daniel frowned, “Or I’m missing so much depending how you look at it.”

Jack rolled his eyes, “You think far too much.”

“I’ve been told that,” Daniel smiled softly, “So, about the last year I’ve missed where you guys don’t know about. Any clues at all to what I was doing?”

Jack hesitated, they hadn’t told Daniel about what had happened on the last mission he was on. It was probably a good idea to tell him though.

“Okay, when we get to the base tomorrow,” Jack told him, “I’ll tell you what we know about the last year.”

Daniel nodded.

“So how you doing with your journals?” Jack asked.

“Getting through them,” Daniel lied.

“Anything coming back?”

“Not really,” Daniel managed to avoid looking Jack in the eye.

He hadn’t got any further than the first years worth he kept returning to the one from Abydos, he was fascinated by the fact he had been married and the woman he had married. He couldn’t remember her, or the place he seemed to have taken as his home and it was beginning to get to him.

“Okay, you two,” Sara joined them and rested on the couch beside Jack, “Any suggestions for movies?”

“Well I haven’t seen a whole load of movies from the past eight years,” Daniel said with a shrug, “So take your pick.”

“Put The Mummy on,” Jack decided, “He always liked that movie.”

Daniel did the strange squirm in his seat he’d been doing any time one of them made a comment about how he used to be.

“Daniel,” Sara said, “What do you want on your pizza?”

“Ask Jack he seems to know everything,” Daniel replied.

Jack shrugged at his wife; Daniel could do the sulking teenager better than anyone and he had been occasionally reverting to it when he became uncomfortable.

 

Later that night Daniel sat on top of his bed the box of journals by his side. Reaching out he picked up the first one again and opened it to a random page. 

_Ra’s dead and now I’m not sure what I want to do. I can open the Gate and go back to Earth but that would mean leaving Sha’re._

_I really can’t believe how much I care for her, she is amazing and technically we are married. Holding her last night as we waited for the sun to rise, as we waited for it to be time to go up against their God, despite how scared I was I felt safe and comfortable as she slipped her arms around my waist and rested her head on my chest to sleep._

_The party is going on nearby with the Colonel and the other two joining in the celebrations while I’m here trying to decide what to do now._

_Sha’re is sitting with some of her friends glancing over at me every so often. I think she’s wondering what I’m going to do especially since I’ve been sitting here alone for the past half hour._

_I have to make my decision and make it very soon._

Daniel had read this page so many times wondering what could have made him leave Earth for what he would have seen as forever. Jack had offered him the picture of the woman who was supposed to be his wife, Daniel had said no at the time but was now wishing he’d taken the photograph so he could maybe try and equate what was in his journals with a face.

“This is insane,” he sighed, tossing the book down and finally reaching for the journals from the second year.

With a sigh he started to read about the rest of the time he’d missed.

*********************************************

Jack watched Daniel worriedly as they entered the briefing room; the young archaeologist had been strangely silent on the drive there.

“So,” Jack dropped into the seat across from Daniel, “The past year.”

“Yeah?”

“Daniel, we went to a planet called Kelowna,” Jack explained, “This is where we met Jonas. Their scientists were experimenting in making a bomb and well something went wrong in their tests.”

“What happened?”

“It would have exploded killing everyone on the planet except you shot out the glass and jumped in to stop it,” Jack told him, “The thing was you got a lethal dose of radiation.”

Daniel stared at him, “Lethal dose? I seem to be pretty healthy for that.”

“Yeah,” Jack chewed his lip, “Have you got to reading about Oma and Shifu yet?”

“Who?”

“I thought you said you’d been reading them all?” Jack frowned at him.

“I got through the first year but I’ve sort of been reading the first one over and over,” Daniel confessed.

“Sha’re,” Jack guessed.

“I don’t understand why I would leave Earth forever,” Daniel shrugged, “I mean, the guy who wrote everything loved her but I…”

Jack saw Daniel trail off and pursed his lips in thought; there was something they had that he’d never shown Daniel knowing how much it would hurt him but now…

“Okay, Sha’re was taken by Apophis and the Gould Ammonet put in her,” Jack decided to do the quick, quick version, “You found her a year later pregnant with his kid, you delivered the kid and left him with Kasuf, her father. With me so far?”

Daniel nodded horror on his face as he tried to process what Jack was telling him.

“Ammonet stole the kid and hid him then tried to kill you. Sha’re was unfortunately killed when we saved you,” Jack winced watching the mass of emotions running through Daniel’s eyes, “She somehow managed to communicate to you where the kid was hidden.”

“Where was that?” Daniel asked shakily trying to process everything.

“Kheb.”

“I know a Kheb,” Daniel said thoughtfully, “It’s the mythical place where Osiris hid from Set. Kheb’s a myth.”

“Not exactly,” Jack shrugged, “Can I get on with my story?”

“Sure,” Daniel replied.

“We found Shifu, the kid, there under the care of an alien being called Oma Desala,” Jack explained, “She came for you when you were dying and offered you a chance to…I believe the term is ascend. You went all glowy.”

“Ascend?”

“Some sort of higher plane of existence,” Jack explained with a shrug, “You were energy.”

Daniel stared at him not really believing but decided not to bother saying, “Why am I back?”

Jack took a deep breath, “We’re not sure but I think it might have something to do with the fact that you tried to stop Anubis from destroying Abydos.”

“Did I?”

Jack shook his head, “You tried but he destroyed Abydos.”

“Then it’s gone?” Daniel asked sadly, he’d been hoping he’d get a chance to go and see if it brought back anything.

Jack nodded, “But Oma took the whole population with her.”

“Is that good?” Daniel snapped.

“In a way,” Jack replied, “At least they’re not dead.”

“Yeah,” Daniel swallowed hard, “I…em…I…”

“I have to go do a few things,” Jack told him, “Why don’t you walk around the base see if anything comes back.”

Daniel silently left the room brooding as Jack grimaced.

 

People kept greeting him as he walked through the corridors of the base. Daniel nodded back absently his mind in a whirl. He’d hoped that maybe he would be able to go and at least meet the family of his ‘wife’ hoping that perhaps that would give him a little of his memory back or even a sense of belonging. Now that idea was blown to hell so he was left in the fog. 

He found himself at the commissary and wandered in.

“Coffee, Dr Jackson?” the woman behind the counter asked.

“Em…sure,” he gave a half-smile.

The woman gave him a bright smile as she handed him a mug of steaming hot coffee, Daniel found an empty seat and pulled out his journal again.

_I think I’ve made a huge mistake._

_I told Jack that I wanted to stay with Sha’re here on Abydos and at the time I was certain that it was the right decision but now…_

_After I sent them home Sha’re took me to my…our new home and I slept again with her in my arms both of us too tired for anything else to happen. But when I woke up this morning she was gone and I haven’t seen her all day._

_Maybe I was wrong._

Daniel frowned as he read this again for about the tenth time. He wished he could remember something, anything about the woman he had so blithely left everything for. 

Taking another drink of the coffee he continued to read.

_I was so wide of the mark worrying that I’d made the wrong decision staying here. After spending the day completely lost, alone and feeling sorry for myself I was sitting staring at nothing shivering in the cool night air when Sha’re suddenly placed a blanket over my shoulders and knelt in front of me pulling it around me._

_She apologised for being gone all day and explained that she was afraid._

_As she confessed that she didn’t know how to be a wife I couldn’t stop my smile. I explained to her that I’d never been married either but if she wanted we could find out together._

_Sha’re smiled at me, her eyes lighting up and moved closer to very gently kiss me, pulling her close to me everything I had been feeling throughout the day evaporated and I’m writing this as she sleeps cuddled up beside me, her warm skin pressed against mine, her arm wrapped across my waist, her fingers sliding across my skin in her sleep._

_I’ve made the right decision and I’ve never been happier._

Daniel closed the journal as Sam dropped into the seat across from him.

“Hey,” she smiled brightly at him, “How you doing?”

Daniel shrugged, “Okay I guess. Still trying to piece things together.”

“It’ll come back to you, Daniel,” Sam soothed, “Just give it and yourself time.”

“Can I ask you something?”

“Sure,” Sam grinned as she ate her jello, “Ask away.”

“Jack told me I became, I believe his term was all glowy,” Daniel told her before giving her a questioning look, “Did I?”

Sam chewed her lip for a second before tapping his arm, “Come with me.”

Confused Daniel followed her through the corridors until they came to her lab, Sam offered him a seat while she took the other. She started opening files on her computer before finding the one she wanted.

“This is what was recorded when Shifu left,” Sam explained.

“Shifu is Sha’re’s son,” Daniel said to make sure he had it right.

“Yeah,” Sam’s eyes were filled with sadness, “This is what you became.”

Daniel watched in amazement as it showed him talking to a child who seemed to be about ten years old. Suddenly the child became a creature of pure light.

“Oh my God,” Daniel breathed.

“There weren’t any cameras on in the infirmary when you did it,” Sam explained, “But we all saw it. Dad was healing you but the Colonel said to stop. You wanted to leave.”

Daniel’s head came up sharply at this, “Why did I want to leave?”

“I never understood that,” Sam replied sadly, “But from what the Colonel told us you felt you could do more good out there.”

“Oh,” Daniel stood up, “Thanks, Sam.”

As he started to leave Sam caught his arm, “Daniel, I know you are finding it hard to find your place here again but you and I became friends very quickly. I want that back.”

“I’m trying,” he told her.

Sam gave him a bright smile, “I know. But you’re not just my friend you also inspire me to think outside the box so get used to having me come and talk to you about things.”

Daniel gave her a genuine smile, “I’d like that.”

*********************************************

“Hey, Doc!” a voice yelled from behind him as he headed back to the commissary.

Daniel turned to the source finding a man running towards him.

“Daniel, you’re back,” the man laughed.

“Ah…I don’t mean to be rude but…”

“Ferretti,” Jack came running over to them, “Daniel, let me introduce you to another survivor of the first Abydos mission. Major Louis Ferretti.”

“Oh,” Daniel said before shrugging, “Hi.”

“What?” Ferretti looked at them both as though they’d lost their minds, “Jack, what the hell are you talking about?”

“Daniel’s lost all memory of the Stargate and the SGC,” Jack explained.

“Lucky you,” Ferretti shrugged.

Jack laughed as Daniel nodded slightly confused.

“I’ve got to get to my medical before Doc Fraiser sends out a search party,” Ferretti told them, “Catch you guys later.”

“See you, Ferretti,” Jack called after him, before turning to Daniel, “He’s a friend. Honestly.”

“Well it seems like my circle of friends has definitely changed in the past eight years,” Daniel gave a half smile.

“For the better?” Jack asked.

“Actually yes,” Daniel laughed.

“Come on,” Jack motioned him, “I’ve got something to show you.”

Daniel looked at him confused but followed anyway.

 

Daniel took the seat Jack pointed to and waited as Jack set up the video.

“What is this?” Daniel asked.

“I thought you’d like to see this,” Jack told him, “I’ve had this for a couple of years but I’ve never shown you it. I’ll be back in a bit and let you watch this alone.”

Daniel watched Jack leave the room before he turned and pressed play.

“Carter, what you doing?” a man asked as the film started.

“Trying to get a more detailed picture of the control device,” Sam’s voice answered, the picture moved and a man was suddenly in view.

“Is there anything else you’ve seen Major Kawalsky?” Sam asked him.

“Over there,” the man, Kawalsky pointed.

The picture moved and Daniel gasped, there he stood with the beautiful woman Jack had told him was his wife. His arms were around her waist as they talked, her eyes locked with his.

“There’s nothing to worry about,” he whispered in time with his image on the screen, “I’m not leaving you, Sha’re.”

“ _They will not make you leave_?” he could hear her worried voice so clearly in his head.

“Nothing could ever make me leave you my love,” he breathed, watching his image stroke her cheek feeling the tears fill his eyes.

“ _Are you sure_?” her voice whispered in his mind.

“Nothing is ever going to break us apart,” Daniel felt his voice crack as the screen version of him kissed her before it went blank.

Daniel swallowed reaching to open his journal again near the end.

_Sha’re is gone. Jack says we’ll find her. If anyone can he can._

As he read it aloud he felt his tears start to fall.

“I’m sorry,” Jack said from the door, “I’ve never shown you that before, I thought it might help.”

“It…it did,” Daniel sniffed back his tears, “I heard her voice,” he looked up at the other man, “I’d like her picture.”

Jack moved over and placed his hand on Daniel’s shoulder, “Don’t push back what you’re feeling, you did that before. Grieve for her.”

“I can’t,” Daniel sighed; “I don’t know her, Jack. I just heard her voice.”

“And you want the picture…”

“I need to be able to have some sort of visual aid for her,” Daniel shrugged, “I know that sounds weird.”

“Not really,” Jack told him, “But when you do remember don’t bury the pain, that was how we almost lost you back then.”

*********************************************

Catherine Langford sighed happily, they were finally home. As much as she loved Ernest she hoped his desire to travel had been quenched by now because she wanted to stay at home for a while.

“Check the messages,” she called to her husband as she hung up her jacket.

“Catherine, Ernest,” the unmistakable voice of Jack O’Neill filled the air, “Look guys I need you to call me as soon as you get this. It’s very important.”

Catherine had the phone almost instantly dialling Jack’s number from memory, “Jack, its Catherine. What’s wrong?”

Ernest watched as his wife’s expression of concern turned to one of complete confusion.

“He wants us to come to his house now,” she told Ernest.

“Then we’ll go,” Ernest said instantly.

“Jack, we’ll be there as soon as possible,” Catherine promised before hanging up.

“What’s going on?” Ernest asked.

Catherine gave him a shrug, “I have no idea.”

Ernest handed her the jacket she’d just taken off, “Then let’s go and see.”

 

“Hi, Catherine, Ernest,” Sara smiled when she answered the door to them, “Come in.”

“Sara, what’s going on?” Catherine demanded, “The message we got from Jack sounded urgent and he wouldn’t tell me anything other than to get here.”

“Dr Langford?” Daniel called; he’d heard her voice while he was reading.

“Daniel,” Catherine cried in amazement moving to him and catching his face in her hands staring at him, “Oh my God, you’re really here,” Catherine pulled him into a tight hug.

Daniel’s expression became confused, “Dr Langford?”

“Since when did you call me that?” Catherine asked letting him go, “Daniel?”

“Catherine,” Jack finally appeared, “There’s a few things we need to tell you. Come on everyone grab a seat.”

“Okay, Catherine, Ernest,” Jack said, “Daniel has no memory of the last few years.”

“Really?” Ernest asked.

“What do you remember?” Catherine asked.

“I was trying to translate the cover stone, I felt dizzy and I woke up in the infirmary eight years later,” Daniel shrugged.

“So he knew me,” Jack said wryly, “And you.”

“Well,” Catherine sat beside Daniel and took his hand, “You call me Catherine these days and this is my husband, Dr Ernest Littlefield. It’s thanks to you we found each other again.”

“Really?” Daniel asked, thinking back to the journals.

_Hammond was majorly pissed at me for going to see Catherine and now that I know about Ernest I have to find him for her. If I can’t have Sha’re with me then at least I can help someone else find the one they loved and lost._

“Yes,” Catherine smiled, “It’s so good that you’re back, Daniel.”

Jack noticed a slight colour on Daniel’s cheeks at the affection in the old woman’s voice. 

“I’m just glad that I have finally found someone I do actually know and trust,” Daniel told her before he blushed slightly looking at the others, “I didn’t mean…”

“We know, Daniel,” Sara said kindly, “Is anyone else hungry.”

As Sara made them some food and served drinks Daniel slipped away from the crowd for a few moments by himself.

“Daniel,” Catherine came over to him, “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” he replied automatically.

Catherine took his hand, “Take a walk with me.”

Unable to refuse the woman he let her take his arm and lead him out into the garden. They walked in silence for a few moments before Catherine turned to him.

“So,” she said, “Why are you pulling away from everyone?”

“What?”

“I watched you there,” Catherine said, “From the time I saw you after Abydos, you and Jack were such good friends.”

“Dr…Catherine, I don’t remember that,” Daniel reminded her, “I only remember the man who looked at me like I was dirt when we first met. He’s been so good to me since I woke up and Sara has been wonderful too but…

“But you still feel alone,” Catherine finished for him.

“I want to feel connected, Catherine I do,” Daniel cried annoyed, “But no matter what I do, I’ve been reading my journals, they’ve told me all this stuff and still there’s nothing coming back.”

Catherine frowned as she thought.

“That’s not completely true,” Daniel admitted as he dropped to sit on the grass, “He showed me a film they took when I was on Abydos and I saw my…wife. I remember the conversation and I could hear her voice.”

“If that’s come back then I’m sure the rest of it will too,” Catherine assured him, “You just need it to let it come.”

“That’s the thing though,” Daniel said a few tears appearing in his eyes, “I’m so scared it won’t. I’m afraid that I’m going to be forced to live in this haze forever.”

“You’ve remembered a little,” Catherine said with a gentle smile, “You’ll remember the rest soon. I know you well Daniel and you have an incredible mind. Just let it work.”

*********************************************

_“Being sweet and nice isn’t going to stop three or four Gould motherships if they decide to come back again,” Jack leaned back in his chair, “I’d rather be a thief and alive than honest and dead. It’s a cliché, but there it is.”_

_Daniel stared at him, “If you really believe that, I guess…guess I never really knew you at all.”_

_Jack’s eyes bore into him, “Come on. You’re a bright guy. You had to sense some of this.”_

_Daniel stared at Jack unable to answer, unable to voice questions filling his mind, feeling the security he’d had since he lost Sha’re being ripped away._

_Jack shrugged, “Then no. I guess you couldn’t relate to me any more than I could to you.”_

_“So this whole…this whole friendship thing we’ve been working on in the last few years is…” Daniel trailed off._

_“Apparently not much of a foundation there, huh?” Jack took a swig of his beer as Daniel stood up and walked away…_

_…Daniel stood behind the glass watching Jack as he stood at the bottom of the ramp before he turned ignoring the salutes of his colleagues and left them forever._

Daniel woke up not sure what was going on. That was more like the Jack he remembered and nothing like the man who’d been trying to be his friend for the past few weeks. That couldn’t be right; Daniel frowned as he tried to find some sort of clue within the memory to when it was so he could check his journals.

Glancing at the clock he frowned, it was only 2am. Turning over again he punched his pillow to get comfortable again. Closing his eyes Daniel slowed his breathing and tried to focus on something else other than his last dream.

_Daniel could feel movement beside him as his wife carefully left their bed trying not to wake him. Quickly he pounced, grabbing her around her waist and pulling her back into their bed pinning her below him._

_“Morning,” he smiled as she giggled._

_“That wasn’t fair,” she laughed._

_“Well you were the one sneaking away,” Daniel murmured as he brushed his lips against her cheek._

_“I was trying not to wake you,” Sha’re breathed at his touch, “I was going to make breakfast.”_

_Resting on her properly feeling her soft warm skin against his Daniel shook his head, “I’m not very hungry.”_

_As they kissed Daniel slid his hands to gently cup her face freeing her arms which moved around his neck._

_“I love you, my Dan’iel,” she sighed in his ear._

Daniel slid his hand across the bed to where his wife should lie, realising suddenly that he never moved to that side. He left it ready for her to climb in beside him.

“I really did love you so completely,” Daniel whispered to her picture sitting on the table beside the bed, “I really do still love you,” reaching over and picking it up he traced his finger along her face, “Why would you want me? What could I possibly have done to make you love me?”

Glancing at the clock it now read 5 am; Daniel threw back the covers shivering in the cool air as he dressed quickly. Grabbing the keys they’d given him Daniel quietly left the house and chose a direction.

After about three quarters of an hour Daniel found a park and sat next to the lake watching the sunrise.

_“Why are we here?” Sha’re asked yawning as he pulled her away from the city._

_“I want to share something with you,” Daniel told her walking further into the darkness lit only by his lamp._

_Shaking her head at the strangeness of her husband Sha’re followed on as they continued to walk. Finally he stopped resting the lantern on a nearby rock before he placed the blanket they’d brought with them on the ground. Sha’re gratefully sat down still yawning shivering slightly, Daniel sat beside her resting back against the rock wrapping another blanket around them both before he extinguished the light._

_“Dan’iel?” Sha’re asked._

_“Just watch,” he murmured pulling her closer to him._

_As they watched the sun started to rise covering the land in red and gold, reflecting off the water nearby._

_“This is beautiful,” Sha’re sighed, cuddling closer to him._

_“I used to watch the sunrise most mornings when I was on digs,” Daniel told her, “It is always incredible. Was it worth coming to see?”_

_“Yes, Dan’iel,” Sha’re laughed, “It was worth being dragged out of my nice warm bed to see.”_

_“Well your nice warm husband is still here,” Daniel reminded her._

_Sha’re grinned, “Yes you are.”_

_Pulling him to her Sha’re kissed him._

_“This is much better than watching it at the digs,” Daniel murmured as she laughed._

*********************************************

“We were wondering what had happened to you,” Jack managed to say calmly as Daniel walked into the house. Jack had panicked slightly when he found Daniel had disappeared, again.

“I couldn’t sleep,” Daniel told him quietly, “I went for a walk.”

“Are you okay?” Sara asked, worried by the strange look in Daniel’s eyes.

“Fine,” Daniel said quickly, “I’m fine. I’m just going to have a shower.”

Jack and Sara exchanged a confused look as Daniel left making sure he didn’t look at Jack.

 

“What’s up?” Jack demanded after Daniel had avoided him most of the day.

Daniel shook his head, “Nothing.”

“Look Daniel, I know you’re having a hard time but I also know you well enough to know something else is bothering you and now it’s bothering me too,” Jack told him, “So spill.”

Daniel’s clear blue eyes focussed tightly on him, “Not much of a foundation.”

“Oh shit,” Jack groaned, “Typical that you remembered that.”

“Are you going to explain it?” Daniel demanded.

Jack sighed, “I was undercover trying to find out who was stealing alien technology. I had to make them think I would be willing to work with them so I reverted back to the guy you first met.”

“What about what you said?” Daniel asked quietly, not sure why Jack’s words had such an affect on him.

“I was protecting you,” Jack explained, “I was making sure that they couldn’t hurt you or Carter or Teal’c. You did forgive me by the way,” Jack told him before giving a wry smile, “After several weeks and many coffees specially bought later.”

“Okay,” Daniel nodded.

“Are we?” Jack asked.

Daniel nodded again before jumping as Jack slapped his shoulder.

“You remembered that?” Jack yelled elatedly.

“Yeah, I dreamed it,” Daniel told him, “And a few other memories.”

“That’s brilliant,” Jack cried excited, “What else did you remember?”

“Some things about Sha’re,” Daniel smiled softly, “I really do love her.”

Jack noted the present tense, “We told you it’d come back.”

“Thank you, Jack,” Daniel said, “For everything but I think I should let you and Sara have your house back.”

Jack shrugged, “If you really want, sure. We’ll go apartment hunting tomorrow.”

“We?” Daniel asked suspiciously.

“Considering the dump your first apartment was then I’m making sure you get one that’s actually in a good neighbourhood with the security needed for all the stuff you’ve got on the Gate,” Jack grinned.

Daniel sighed, “Sure.”

 

Daniel stood in his new house and frowned.

“What’s wrong?” Sam asked joining him.

Daniel shrugged, “I guess it’s just strange moving into a new place when I can barely remember my old one.”

Sam smiled, “This is your third actually.”

“Really?” Daniel asked.

“We thought you were dead once and we had a memorial service and…”

“Packed up my apartment,” Daniel finished for her, “You said that Jack said some nice things about me.”

_“You know I liked that apartment,” Daniel said they walked towards the building Jack assured him had a great new place for him._

_“You were dead again, Daniel,” Jack said, “We had a memorial service; we packed up your stuff get over it.”_

_“I suppose I should be thankful you hadn’t got round to selling any of it,” Daniel sighed._

_“That was meant to be tomorrow,” Sam teased._

“Daniel,” Sam’s voice snapped him out of the memory, “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” he assured her quickly, “It was…my memories are coming back but they have a tendency to just appear.”

“But you are remembering?” Sam asked her blue eyes bright, “That’s wonderful.”

Daniel nodded, “It is but I’m worried about what I’ll remember and now since I’ve got my new place…”

“Whenever you need to, you can call me,” Sam squeezed him arm, “And the Colonel and Sara won’t mind hearing from you.”

“I feel like I’ve outstayed my welcome,” Daniel told her, “They’ve both been great but it’s not fair me living in their spare room.”

“To be honest I’m surprised the Colonel is letting you leave so soon,” Sam teased, “I’ll be surprised if you don’t have to call him every morning to assure him you’re still here.”

Daniel laughed licking his lips slowly, “Where we _that_ close?”

Sam nodded, “Yeah.”

“I…It’s just hard to see still,” Daniel told her, “I mean we are so different and we view everything completely…” he trailed off at her amused look, “What?”

“That’s what everyone always thought about you and Jack’s close friendship,” Sam explained, “You are different but that’s the thing that makes you so close.”

“If you say so,” Daniel shrugged.

“Daniel,” Sam made him look at her, “When you left it was so hard for me but for Jack it was ten times worse. You were…are his best friend. You treated him like that first and foremost, with everyone else the Colonel always comes before Jack. After you left, until he and Sara got back together I never saw him smile, not properly.”

Daniel still looked confused.

“You asked him to let you leave Daniel,” Sam reminded him, “You made him let you go and for someone who had lost so many people in such a short time…”

Daniel sighed, “It’s strange because almost every memory I have of him is…”

“Colonel O’Neill?”

“Precisely,” Daniel nodded, “Which makes everything you and everyone keeps telling me about how close we were completely confusing.”

“If you want to know what I think,” Sam said.

“I doubt I could stop you,” Daniel smiled receiving a soft thump on his arm, “Sure.”

“Spend some time with Jack,” Sam said, “Spend time in the SGC with me, with Teal’c. Don’t push yourself but get back into the swing of things.”

Daniel shrugged, “I may as well.”

Looking around his new home Daniel took in a deep breath, he had some memories all he had to do was build on it. One thing was clear though, he wasn’t alone, not anymore.


End file.
